Reinforcing device

Abstract

A structural reinforcement (20) for a vehicle cavity (10), comprising: a carrier (30) comprising a bottom wall (40) and a plurality of continuous vertical reinforcement structures (50) and a plurality of horizontal reinforcement structures (60) spanning from a bottom carrier surface (32) to a top carrier surface (34); a protruding structure (70) protruding from the bottom wall (40), the protruding structure (70) comprising a vertical protruding outer wall (72) on which a first adhesive (80) is disposed, where the protruding outer wall (72) protrudes through an opening (12) in a wall of the vehicle cavity (10); a second adhesive (90) disposed on a peripheral portion of the carrier (30), the peripheral portion comprising a portion of a bottom surface (32) of the carrier, where the first adhesive (80) is in a shear state and the second adhesive (90) disposed on a portion of the bottom surface is in a compressed state during a top crush event.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to structural reinforcement and, more particularly, to reinforcing vehicle structures using structural reinforcements having improved roof crush and side impact crash performance in combination with lighter weight materials. Background Art

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 399,147, filed on August 18, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

[0003] In recent years, the use of structural reinforcements has increased in various locations throughout transportation vehicles, where vehicle cavities are often equipped with structural reinforcements that help control deformation and / or direct loads from rollovers or impacts. With the advent of electric vehicles that add a large number of battery packs to the vehicle, the resulting collision / crush load scenarios present new challenges for structural reinforcements. In recent years, for some applications, it has become popular to use a combination of a carrier structure and a secondary material (such as an expandable adhesive material as part of the reinforcement). See, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 6,932,421; 6,921,130; 6,920,693; 6,890,021 and 6,467,834, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Typically, these structures are manufactured using injection molding and / or co-extrusion.

[0004] Structural reinforcements that include a variety of different materials to meet multiple objectives (e.g., reinforcement and sealing) can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,196,097 and 10,173,727, among others. However, there remains a need for innovative products that provide solutions to the new challenges found in electric vehicles in crash / crush load scenarios while still using materials that minimize weight and cycle time during production. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present teachings satisfy one or more of the above needs through the improved apparatus and methods described herein.

[0006] In one aspect, the present teachings relate to a structural reinforcement for a vehicle cavity, the structural reinforcement comprising: a carrier comprising a bottom wall and a plurality of continuous vertical reinforcement structures spanning from a bottom carrier surface to a top carrier surface and a plurality of horizontal reinforcement structures; a protrusion structure protruding from the bottom wall, the protrusion structure comprising a vertical protrusion outer wall and two protruding vertical side walls, a first adhesive being disposed on the vertical protrusion outer wall, wherein the protrusion outer wall protrudes through an opening in a wall of the vehicle cavity; a second adhesive disposed on a peripheral portion of the carrier, the peripheral portion comprising a portion of a bottom surface of the carrier; wherein during a top compression event or when a force is applied in a shear vector, the first adhesive is in a shear state and the second adhesive disposed on a portion of the bottom surface is in a compression state.

[0007] In another aspect of the present teachings, it is contemplated that one or more of the following additional ones are true, wherein the continuous vertical reinforcing structure is a rib having a thickness of approximately 3 mm to 5 mm; the top compression event subjects the carrier to a load that is approximately parallel to the vertical reinforcing structure and the first adhesive and approximately perpendicular to the second adhesive; the first adhesive and the second adhesive are expandable structural adhesives of the same composition; the third adhesive is disposed around the carrier around the top portion and includes an expandable sealant; the plurality of horizontal reinforcing structures are ribs that are at least 30% thinner than the ribs of the vertical reinforcing structures; the protruding structure includes a plurality of snap features that secure the carrier to an opening in a wall of a vehicle cavity and maintain a set distance from the first adhesive to the vehicle reinforcement plate; the second adhesive is located on a portion of the carrier that substantially surrounds the protruding structure; an adhesive material is applied to the carrier before or after the structure is inserted into the vehicle cavity; the first adhesive material, the second adhesive, or both expand when exposed to a stimulus; the expandable sealant expands when exposed to a stimulus, and wherein the two protruding vertical side walls extend together with two of the plurality of continuous vertical reinforcing structures.

[0008] On the other hand, the present teachings relate to a structural reinforcement for a vehicle cavity, the structural reinforcement comprising: a carrier comprising a bottom wall and a plurality of continuous vertical reinforcement structures spanning from a bottom carrier surface to a top carrier surface and a plurality of horizontal reinforcement structures; a protrusion structure protruding from the bottom wall, the protrusion structure comprising a vertical protrusion outer wall and two protrusion vertical side walls, a first adhesive being disposed on the vertical protrusion outer wall, the two protrusion vertical side walls extending together with two of the continuous vertical reinforcements, wherein the protrusion outer wall and the two protrusion vertical side walls protrude through an opening in a wall of the vehicle cavity; a second adhesive disposed on a peripheral portion of the carrier, the peripheral portion comprising a portion of the bottom surface of the carrier; wherein during a top compression event, the first adhesive is in a shear state and the second adhesive disposed on a portion of the bottom surface is in a compression state. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present teachings with a reinforcement structure shown in phantom in situ within a vehicle cavity.

[0010] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Exploded perspective view of.

[0011] Figure 3 is from Figure 1 A perspective view of the present teachings viewed from the opposite side of the vehicle, with the reinforcement structure shown in phantom in situ in the vehicle cavity.

[0012] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Exploded perspective view of.

[0013] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 Cross-sectional view of .

[0014] Figure 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary reinforcement structure of the present teachings.

[0015] Figure 7 is from ( Figure 6 ) is a perspective view of an exemplary reinforcement structure of the present teachings viewed from the opposite side.

[0016] Figure 8 is from ( Figure 6 Another perspective view of an exemplary reinforcement structure of the present teachings as viewed from the opposite side of the ).

[0017] Fig. 9 yes Figure 8 A partial cross-sectional perspective view of .

[0018] Fig.10 is a side view of an exemplary reinforcement structure of the present teachings, showing Figures 11 to 13 The location of the cross section.

[0019] Figures 11 to 13 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary reinforcement structure of the present teachings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The present teachings are directed to a structural reinforcement for a vehicle cavity that includes a carrier and two or more adhesives.

[0021] The carrier may include a bottom wall and a plurality of reinforcement structures. It is contemplated that one or more of the plurality of reinforcements may be vertical reinforcement structures, horizontal structures, diagonal structures, or a combination thereof.

[0022] It is envisaged that these reinforcement structures may be in the form of ribs. The ribs may be integral with the carrier and molded as part of the carrier. The ribs may be additional secondary components. The ribs may be a combination of integral components and additional components.

[0023] It is envisaged that at least some of the vertical reinforcement structures are continuous between the bottom surface and the top surface of the carrier.It is envisaged that the vertical reinforcement structures may be non-continuous and span only a portion of the carrier.

[0024] It is envisaged that at least some of the horizontal reinforcement structures are continuous between the side surfaces of the carrier. It is envisaged that the horizontal reinforcement structures may be non-continuous and span only a portion of the carrier.

[0025] It is contemplated that the carrier includes a protruding structure that cantilevers out from and protrudes beyond the main body of the carrier. The protruding structure has two protruding vertical side walls. The two vertical side walls may be coextensive with two of the plurality of continuous vertical reinforcing structures. There may be a central wall disposed between the two vertical side walls. The central wall may be coextensive with its corresponding continuous vertical reinforcing structure.

[0026] The protrusion structure has a vertical protruding outer wall. The outer wall can be flat (planar). The outer wall can include a stepped surface with two or more horizontally offset flat surfaces. The outer wall can include one or more ridges to help guide the flow of at least one of the two or more adhesives during an expansion event. It is conceivable that the protruding outer wall protrudes through an opening in the wall of the vehicle cavity.

[0027] The outer wall may include a first adhesive disposed thereon. The first adhesive may substantially cover the entire flat surface of the outer wall. The first adhesive may cover a portion of the flat surface. Preferably, the first adhesive covers at least about 50% or more of the surface of the outer surface. The adhesive may have an unexpanded thickness of at least about 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm. When subjected to a top extrusion load (vertical load / shear vector), the first adhesive is in shear.

[0028] It is conceivable that the second adhesive is disposed on a peripheral portion of the carrier. The second adhesive is disposed on a portion of the bottom surface of the carrier. When a force is applied in the shear vector, the second adhesive disposed on a portion of the bottom surface is in a compressed state.

[0029] The continuous vertical reinforcing structures include a plurality of ribs having an average thickness of about 3 mm to 5 mm along their length. Any other ribs may have an average thickness that is different from the average thickness of the vertically oriented plurality of ribs elsewhere in the reinforcement. It is contemplated that the plurality of horizontal reinforcing structures are a plurality of ribs having an average thickness that is at least 30% thinner than the plurality of ribs of the plurality of vertical reinforcing structures.

[0030] The reinforcement is configured to provide improved shear resistance in response to a top crush load (compared to a vehicle that omits such reinforcement). Preferably, the force applied in the shear vector subjects the carrier to a load that is nearly parallel to the vertical reinforcement structure and the first adhesive. Additionally, the force may be nearly perpendicular to the second adhesive at the bottom surface of the carrier. The second adhesive may be located in a surrounding portion of the carrier that substantially surrounds the protruding structure. The second adhesive may surround an area adjacent to the protruding vertical sidewalls and bottom wall.

[0031] It is contemplated that the first adhesive and the second adhesive are of the same composition, preferably an expandable structural adhesive.The third adhesive is disposed around the carrier around the top portion of the carrier and comprises an expandable sealant.

[0032] The protruding structure may include a plurality of snap fastening features that secure the carrier to the opening in the wall of the vehicle cavity.The snaps may help maintain a set distance of the first adhesive to the vehicle reinforcement panel.

[0033] It is contemplated that one or more of the first, second and / or third adhesive materials are applied to the carrier prior to inserting the structure into the vehicle cavity. It is contemplated that one or more of the first, second and / or third adhesive materials are applied to the carrier after inserting the structure into the vehicle cavity.

[0034] The first adhesive material, the second adhesive, or both expand when exposed to a stimulus, preferably heat. The expandable sealant (third adhesive) expands when exposed to a stimulus, preferably heat.

[0035] It is contemplated that a method of manufacturing a reinforcing part as described above and for distributing loads caused by roof crush load conditions in a motor vehicle structure may have one or more of the following steps: roof crush load. Computer modeling is performed to simulate load conditions on a vehicle structure having a roof and a sill, the load conditions being caused by loads applied to the roof from outside the roof in a direction toward the sill. Based on the results of the computer modeling of step (a), a part is designed that includes a carrier having a laterally protruding shear load transfer portion. An activatable material is provided on the outer wall of the vertical protrusion so that it can be activated and bonded to a laterally locating structure of the vehicle and thereby laterally transfer at least a portion of the load so that the load is carried in a shear mode by the adhesive bonded structure. The part designed by step (b) is manufactured, wherein the part includes a carrier that includes a molded and / or pultruded polymer part, preferably including a fiber reinforced polymer matrix, and an activatable adhesive material that can be activated to form a structural foam located on at least one vertical protrusion outer wall of the laterally protruding shear load transfer portion. Optionally, at least a portion of the vertical protrusion outer wall comprises an outwardly protruding rib that guides the direction of expansion of the activatable material during foaming. Optionally, the activatable material is applied to the vertical protrusion outer wall and an adjacent surface that is not coplanar with the vertical protrusion outer wall in a continuous manner. Optionally, the shear load transfer portion of the carrier is adjacent to the base portion of the carrier in an area including an arcuate surface or edge. Optionally, the shear load transfer portion of the carrier comprises a stepped vertical protrusion outer wall; and / or wherein the shear load transfer portion of the carrier comprises a vertically oriented rib that is located behind the vertical protrusion outer wall at approximately the midpoint of the free end (outer protrusion wall).

[0036] The explanation and description given herein are intended to make other persons skilled in the art familiar with the present invention, its principles and its practical application. The specific embodiments of the present invention described are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the present invention. The scope of the present invention should be determined with reference to the full scope of the appended claims and the equivalents of such claims. The disclosures of all articles and references (including patent applications and publications) are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Other combinations such as will be collected from the following claims are also possible, and the claims are also incorporated by reference in this written description.

[0037] The teachings herein may generally relate to structural reinforcement devices (e.g., structures). The devices described herein may also provide functions such as sealing and blocking. The reinforcement devices described herein may be particularly suitable for providing sealing, blocking, reinforcement, or load transfer / dispersion in or through the cavity of a vehicle. It is also contemplated that the reinforcement structure may be applied (e.g., assembled) to various articles, such as ships, trains, buildings, houses, furniture, etc. The term "vehicle" as used herein may be used to describe any transportation vehicle, including ships, trains, motor vehicles, airplanes, motorcycles, etc.

[0038] It is contemplated that the device of the present invention may be particularly useful for reinforcing and dispersing impact loads or extrusion loads associated with impacts. Impact loads may be understood as forces generated by impacts to the surface of a vehicle, such as during a collision or rollover event. Impact loads may be side impacts (passenger or driver side), rear impacts, or front impacts. The device may be used to reinforce cavities in body panels, body pillars, anti-collision beams, or other locations on a vehicle body. For example, a reinforcing structure may be provided in a cavity of an A-pillar, a B-pillar, a C-pillar, a waistline, a fairing, a door panel, a frame system, a rear side panel, an instrument panel, a roof system, a rocker panel, a wheel cover, a windshield, or the like, or any combination thereof. The device may absorb and / or disperse impacts so that at least a portion of the impact load is not transferred to the passenger compartment. It is contemplated that in the present invention, the structural reinforcement device is particularly suitable for creating sufficient strength and load paths within the vehicle body so that the vehicle can adequately pass the top crush test (see top crush event - load path direction 110), such as §571.216a, Standard No. 216A; Top Crush Resistance (incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). As the federal rule states, it is summarized as follows: "As part of a comprehensive plan to reduce the risk of rollover crashes and the risk of death and serious injury in these crashes, this final rule upgrades the agency's safety standard for roof crush resistance in several ways. First, for vehicles currently subject to the standard, namely, passenger cars and multipurpose buses, trucks, and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 2,722 kg (6,000 lbs) or less, the rule doubles the amount of force that the vehicle roof structure must withstand in a prescribed test from 1.5 times the unladen vehicle weight to 3.0 times the unladen vehicle weight. Second, the rule expands the applicability of the standard so that it also applies to vehicles with a GVWR greater than 2,722 kg (6,000 lbs). 00 pounds) but not more than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds). The rule establishes a force requirement of 1.5 times the unladen weight of the vehicle for these newly included vehicles. Third, the rule requires all of the above vehicles to meet the specified force requirements in a double-sided test rather than a single-sided test, that is, the same vehicle must meet the force requirements when one side of the vehicle is first tested and then the other side is tested. Fourth, in addition to the existing restrictions on the amount of top crush, the rule also establishes new requirements for maintaining headroom (i.e., survival space) during testing. The rule also includes some special provisions, including provisions related to the development cycle to meet the needs of multi-tier manufacturers, modifiers and small-volume manufacturers." As electric vehicles with large-scale battery packs have begun to enter the market, these requirements have brought additional challenges to vehicles and meeting these specific requirements.

[0039] It is contemplated that the carrier may be formed of a moldable material, a pultrudable material, an extrudable material, or some combination thereof. The carrier may be formed of a polymer material, which may be a polyamide or a polyurethane material. The polymer material may be a reinforced polymer material. For example, the polymer material may be glass fiber reinforced nylon. The polymer material may be a polyurethane. The polymer material may be a thermosetting material. The polymer material may be a thermoplastic material. The polymer material may be a thermoplastic epoxy material. The polymer material may be a fiber reinforced thermoplastic epoxy material.

[0040] The carrier may include a device for attaching a structural reinforcement to a surface. The carrier may be shaped to absorb and / or disperse energy from an impact load. The carrier may have any size, shape, and / or configuration to attach a structural reinforcement to a surface, absorb and / or disperse energy from an impact load; provide a surface of a secondary material; or any combination thereof. Features formed as part of the carrier may include a base structure and one or more protrusions. These features may be integrally molded or formed separately. The carrier may be a one-piece structure or may include multiple pieces. The carrier may include one or more secondary materials, which may be located only in a selected portion of the carrier, or may be positioned to substantially cover the entire carrier. The carrier may include one or more secondary material portions adjacent to each other. The carrier may include multiple protrusions. The carrier may include one or more cellular structures. The carrier may include one or more walls. The carrier may include one or more ribs. The carrier may include one or more holes (e.g., openings, orifices, or through holes). One or more walls may be formed by multiple protrusions. A carrier manufactured according to the present teachings may include one or more walls having a first surface and a substantially opposite second surface.

[0041] The plurality of protrusions can be walls, ribs, apertures, bridges, channels, bodies, attachments, reinforcements, attachments or combinations thereof. Two or more of the plurality of protrusions can be connected and create one or more reinforcement units, one or more reinforcement cavities, one or more reinforcement cutouts or combinations thereof.

[0042] The device may include one or more fasteners. One or more fasteners may be used to attach the composite reinforcement to a surface, such as one or more walls of a cavity, or to a second device. One or more fasteners may have any size, shape or configuration to attach the structural reinforcement to a surface. The device may include a single fastener or multiple fasteners. One or more fasteners may be integrally formed with the carrier or formed separately from the carrier. One or more fasteners may be formed of the same material as the carrier, or formed of a different material from the carrier. The device may include one or more fasteners positioned so that they correspond to openings formed in the wall. The device may include one or more fasteners that cooperate with one or more edges of the cavity or the second device. One or more fasteners may include threaded fasteners, openings for receiving fasteners, tree-shaped fasteners, arrow-shaped fasteners, nail fasteners, clip fasteners, hook fasteners, friction fit fasteners, etc. or any combination thereof. One or more fasteners may be located in an opening in a surface (such as a cavity wall) and / or through an opening in a surface to attach the structural reinforcement. One or more fasteners may engage a surface, such as a protrusion or extension from a cavity wall, or a second means to attach the structural reinforcement.

[0043] The adhesive material and / or sealant material can be a material that undergoes expansion and / or curing when exposed to a temperature between about 148.89°C and about 204.44°C (about 300°F and about 400°F), i.e., temperatures typically experienced in automotive painting or coating operations. The adhesive material and / or sealant material can be foamed to a volume that is at least 5% greater, at least 50% greater, at least 200% greater, at least 1000% greater, at least 2000% greater, at least 5000% greater, or more relative to the original unexpanded volume.

[0044] The adhesive material and / or sealant material may be a two-component material that activates (eg, cures, foams, or some combination thereof) when the two components are combined. The activation may occur at room temperature.

[0045] The adhesive and / or sealant material may be an epoxy-based material such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,884,960; 6,348,513; 6,368,438; 6,811,864; 7,125,461; 7,249,415; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004 / 0076831, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The adhesive and / or sealant material may include one or more phosphate-based components.

[0046] Adhesive material and sealant material can comprise epoxy resin component.Epoxy resin is used to mean any one of the conventional epoxy materials containing at least one epoxy functional group in this article.Epoxy resin can be difunctional, trifunctional, multifunctional, their combination or other ways.In addition, the term epoxy resin can be used to represent a kind of epoxy resin or the combination of epoxy resin.The material based on polymer can be the epoxy-containing material with one or more oxirane rings that can be polymerized by ring-opening reaction.In a preferred embodiment, adhesive and / or sealant material of the present invention include epoxy resin between about 2 weight % and 70 weight %, more preferably epoxy resin between about 7 weight % and 50 weight %, and even more preferably epoxy resin between about 15 weight % and 40 weight %, and even possibly epoxy resin between about 15 weight % and about 25 weight %.

[0047] Epoxy can be aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic. Epoxy can be provided as solid (e.g., as pellets, chunks, chips, etc.) or liquid (e.g., epoxy resin) or both. As used herein, if the resin is solid at a temperature of 23°C, it is considered to be a solid resin, and if the resin is liquid at 23°C, it is considered to be a liquid resin. The presence of epoxy resin increases the adhesive properties, flow properties, or both of the adhesive and / or sealant. An exemplary epoxy resin can be a phenolic resin, which can be a novalac type or other type of resin. For example, bisphenol A resin, bisphenol F resin, combinations thereof, etc. can be used. In addition, various mixtures of several different epoxy resins can be used. Examples of suitable epoxy resins are sold under the trade names (eg, DER 331, DER 661, DER 662) are sold by The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich.

[0048] It is possible that the epoxy resin used is such that the formulated adhesives and sealants are dry to the touch at ambient temperature.

[0049] Several additional polymers may be incorporated into the adhesive and / or sealant material, such as by copolymerization, blending or otherwise. For example, but not limited to, other polymers that may be suitably incorporated into the sealant material include halogenated polymers, polycarbonates, polyketones, polyurethanes, polyesters, silanes, sulfones, allyls, olefins, styrenes, acetates, ethylene vinyl acetates, acrylates, methacrylates, epoxides, silicones, phenolics, rubbers, polyphenylene oxides, terephthalates, or mixtures thereof. Other possible polymer materials may be or may include, but are not limited to, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyolefins, polyacrylates, poly(ethylene oxide), poly(ethyleneimine), polyesters, polyurethanes, polysiloxanes, polyethers, polyphosphazenes, polyamides, polyimides, polyisobutylene, polyacrylonitrile, poly(vinyl chloride), poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinylidene chloride), polytetrafluoroethylene, polyisoprene, polyacrylamide, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylate, and polyacetals.

[0050] Adhesive and / or sealant materials can each include one or more curing agents, which help the adhesive and / or sealant materials to solidify through the polymer, epoxy resin and other ingredients in the cross-linked material. The amount of curing agent or curing agent accelerator present in the adhesive and / or sealant material ranges from about 0.001 weight % to about 9 weight %, and more typically from about 0.2 weight % to about 6 weight %, and even more typically from about 2 weight % to about 6 weight %. Curing agent materials can be selected from aliphatic or aromatic amines or their respective adducts, amidoamines, polyamides, alicyclic amines, anhydrides, polycarboxylic acid polyesters, isocyanates, phenolic resins (e.g., phenol or cresol novolak resins), copolymers (such as phenol terpenes, polyvinylphenol or bisphenol-A formaldehyde copolymers), bishydroxyphenylalkanes, etc.), dihydrazides, sulfonamides, diaminodiphenyl sulfones, anhydrides, mercaptans, imidazoles, ureas, tertiary amines, BF3 complexes or their mixtures. Particularly preferred curing agents include modified and unmodified polyamines or polyamides, such as triethylenetetramine, diethylenetriamine, tetraethylenepentamine, cyanoguanidine, dicyandiamide, and the like.

[0051] Adhesive and / or sealant composition can be activatable (for example, foamable), and therefore it can contain one or more blowing agents, and these one or more blowing agents usually produce the inert gas that converts adhesive / sealant into open and / or closed porous structure.Expansion can contribute to improve adhesion, sealing ability, acoustic damping, reduce density or the combination of factors.The amount of the blowing agent and blowing agent promoter that can be used can be widely varied according to the type of required porous structure, the required expansion amount of adhesive and / or sealant material, the melt viscosity of material and the required expansion rate.The exemplary range of the amount of blowing agent and blowing agent promoter in the activatable material is from about 0.001 weight % to 2 weight %.

[0052] Chemical blowing agents that may be used include one or more nitrogen-containing groups such as amides, amines, etc. Examples of suitable blowing agents include dinitrosopentamethylenetetramine, azodicarbonamide, dinitrosopentamethylenetetramine, 4,4'oxy-bis-(benzenesulfonylhydrazide), trihydrazinotriazine, and N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-dinitroso-terephthalamide.

[0053] Physical blowing agents may additionally or alternatively be employed. As an example, a solvent filled polymer shell may be used which softens and expands when exposed to heat. A typical example is sold by Akzo Nobel under the trade name Expancel.

[0054] The adhesive and / or sealant materials may each include one or more physical properties, including tensile / compression modulus (T M / C M ), strength (T S / C S ) and elongation (T E ), and lap shear (L S ) and T-stripping (T P ), the range can be as follows: T M (according to JISK 6301-1MET dog bone test piece, 3mm cured thickness, test rate 5mm per minute) range is at least about 100MPa or higher, preferably at least about 500MPa or higher, more preferably at least about 700MPa or higher, and most preferably at least about 1000MPa or higher. It is also preferred that T MLess than about 3000 MPa, more preferably less than about 2000 MPa, and most preferably less than about 1500 MPa. Ts (according to JISK 6301-1MET dog bone test piece, 3 mm cured thickness, test rate 5 mm per minute) ranges from at least about 1.0 MPa or higher, preferably at least about 5.0 MPa or higher, more preferably about at least 7.0 MPa or higher, and most preferably about at least about 10.0 MPa or higher. It is also preferred that T S Less than about 5.00 MPa, more preferably less than about 11.00 MPa, and most preferably less than about 20.0 MPa. E (according to JISK 6301-1MET dog bone test piece, 3mm cured thickness, test rate 5mm per minute) range is at least about 0.25% or more, preferably at least about 0.50% or more, more preferably at least about 1.0% or more, and most preferably at least about 2.5% or more. It is also preferred that T E Less than about 1.25%, more preferably less than about 2.5%, and most preferably less than about 3.0%. M (30 mm x 60 mm curing cylinder, test rate 12.7 mm per minute) range is at least about 50 MPa or higher, preferably at least about 250 MPa or higher, more preferably at least about 350 MPa or higher, and most preferably at least about 500 MPa or higher. Also preferred is C M Less than about 1500 MPa, more preferably less than about 1000 MPa, and most preferably less than about 750 MPa. S (30 mm x 60 mm curing cylinder, test rate 12.7 mm per minute) range is at least about 50 MPa or higher, preferably at least about 250 MPa or higher, more preferably at least about 350 MPa or higher, and most preferably at least about 500 MPa or higher. Also preferred is C S Less than about 5.0 MPa, more preferably less than about 11.0 MPa, and most preferably less than about 20.0 MPa. Lap shear (L S -1.5 mm EG-60, 3 mm bond line, 25.4 mm overlap, test rate 50.8 mm / min) range is at least about 1.0 MPa or higher, preferably at least about 2.5 MPa or higher, more preferably at least about 5.0 MPa or higher, and most preferably at least about 10.0 MPa or higher. Also preferred is L S Less than about 6.00 MPa, more preferably less than about 10.00 MPa, and most preferably less than about 15.0 MPa. P-0.75 mm EG-60, 1.5 mm adhesive layer, test rate 254 mm / min) range is at least about 1.0 N / mm or higher, preferably at least about 2.5 N / mm or higher, more preferably at least about 5.0 N / mm or higher, and most preferably at least about 10.0 N / mm or higher. Also preferably L S Less than about 6.00 N / mm, more preferably less than about 10.00 N / mm, and most preferably less than about 15.0 N / mm. It is contemplated that the adhesive and / or sealant material is a structural foam containing a non-solid rubber adduct for NVH and crash applications.

[0055] It is contemplated that examples of the two types of adhesives used in the preferred exemplary embodiment are commercially available from L&L and are a highly expandable structural foam (first adhesive / second adhesive 80 / 90) and a less expandable acoustic treatment sealant (third adhesive 100).

[0056] In all the drawings, a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention can be seen. Figure 1 The structural reinforcement 20 of the present invention is shown in situ (dashed line - when installed) in the vehicle cavity 10, and Figures 2 to 5 An exploded view of the reinforcement and vehicle body panels (14 / 16) forming the vehicle cavity 10 and the vehicle reinforcement panels 84 / 86 is shown. Figures 6 to 13 , the structural reinforcement 20 of the present invention can be seen from various angles and selected cross-sectional views. The structural reinforcement 20 is shown to include a carrier 30 having a bottom wall 40, a plurality of continuous vertical reinforcement structures 50, a plurality of horizontal reinforcement structures 60, and a protrusion structure 70. The carrier 39 may have an area including a first adhesive 80, a second adhesive 90, and a third adhesive 100. It is also contemplated that the protrusion structure 70 may include a vertical protrusion outer wall 72 and a plurality of snap features 74 (preferably disposed on a protrusion vertical side wall 76 or a portion of a protrusion vertical side wall 76) that secure the reinforcement 20 to the vehicle cavity 10 through the hole 12 in the vehicle inner panel 16. Each of the major elements will be discussed in further detail in other portions of this specification.

[0057] Vehicle cavity 10

[0058] It is contemplated that the vehicle cavity can be a part of an A-pillar, a B-pillar, a C-pillar, a beltline, a fairing, a door panel, a frame system, a rear side panel, an instrument panel, a roof system, a rocker panel, a wheel cover, a windshield, etc., or any combination thereof. In this preferred embodiment, the cavity 10 is a part of the vehicle frame system in the region below the B-pillar. The various components of the frame system can be metal, polymer, or any combination thereof. The cavity includes at least one opening 12, which allows a portion of the reinforcement 20 to protrude through the reinforcement inner plate 84 and the reinforcement outer plate 86 and interact / combine with the reinforcement inner plate 84 and the reinforcement outer plate 86 adhesively. Of particular interest is that the carrier 30 is bonded to one or both of the plates 84 / 86 via the first adhesive 80, wherein the adhesive is subjected to shear loads when subjected to a roof compression event (load path direction 110), which contributes to the ability of the vehicle as a whole to pass this roof compression test. It is contemplated that the shear load is defined as a force or shear vector, which is a vector having an equal or greater amount of force in the shear direction compared to the compression direction of a given adhesive region. In other words, the shear vector can be a force vector that is approximately parallel (plus or minus approximately 45 degrees) to the adhesive bond line, and the compression vector can be a force vector that is approximately perpendicular (plus or minus approximately 45 degrees) to the adhesive bond line. Fig.13 , the force provided along load path 110 will place adhesive 80 in shear and adhesive 90 in compression.

[0059] Structural reinforcement 20 / carrier 30

[0060] It is contemplated that the structural reinforcement 20 is an assembly of components such as a carrier 30 and various adhesives (80 / 90 / 100), as discussed previously in this specification. It is also contemplated that the reinforcement 20 is preferably provided as a complete assembly for installation in the vehicle cavity 10, but it is also contemplated that once the carrier is in place in the cavity, the adhesive can be applied to the entire assembly and the adhesive pumped in or added later.

[0061] In a preferred exemplary embodiment, it is contemplated that the carrier 30 has a bottom wall 40, a bottom carrier surface 32, a top carrier surface 34, a portion 36 of the carrier bottom, a carrier top portion 38, a surrounding portion 42 (surrounding the protrusion structure 70), a plurality of continuous vertical reinforcement structures 50, a plurality of horizontal reinforcement structures 60, a protrusion structure 70, a vertical protrusion outer wall 72, and a plurality of snap features 74. It is also contemplated that the first adhesive 80 is an adhesive disposed on the vertical protrusion outer wall 72 (where it is subjected to shear loads), the second adhesive is disposed on the bottom wall 40 (or at least on a portion of the bottom wall), and the third adhesive is disposed around the carrier 30 around the carrier top portion 38. It is contemplated that the first adhesive 80 covers a substantial portion of the surface area of ​​the wall 72, preferably at least about 50% or more of the surface area, more preferably about 75% or more of the surface area, and most preferably about 95% or more. Moreover, the first adhesive 80 may cover 55% or less of the surface area of ​​the wall 72, more preferably about 80% or less of the surface area of ​​the wall 72, and most preferably about 99.9% of the surface area of ​​the wall 72. In this preferred exemplary embodiment, the first adhesive 80 and the second adhesive 90 are structural adhesives (as described above, and may be substantially the same composition), and the third adhesive 100 is preferably composed of an expandable sealant. It is also contemplated that at least a portion of the second adhesive 90 is subjected to compressive loads when subjected to a roof crush event (load path direction / shear vector 110).

[0062] Continuous vertical reinforcement structure 50 / horizontal reinforcement structure 60

[0063] It is contemplated that the carrier in the preferred exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of continuous vertical reinforcement structures 50 that span continuously from the bottom carrier surface 32 to the top carrier surface 34. These structures 50 are used to help distribute the vertical top crush loads 110 to the vehicle frame system through the structural reinforcement 20. It is contemplated that portions of the structures 50 span horizontally from the vertical protruding outer wall 72 to the opposite side of the carrier 30.

[0064] It is contemplated, and in a preferred exemplary embodiment, that these structures 50 may be in the form of what are generally referred to as ribs. In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the ribs 50 have a thickness (at their base) of about 1.5 mm to 5 mm, more preferably about 2.0 mm to 4.5 mm, and most preferably about 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm. Comparing the plurality of horizontal reinforcing structures 60 to the vertical reinforcing structures 50, it is contemplated that the vertical ribs 50 should be about 1% to 100% thicker, more preferably about 10% to 75% thicker, and most preferably about 25% to 50% thicker, in view of the vertical loads experienced in order to pass the top crush test. It is also contemplated that the ribs 50 preferably extend the entire height (H) of the carrier 30. C) (from bottom surface 32 to top surface 34, but in some areas / cases less than the entire height H of the carrier C In this case, a portion of the rib 50 may extend only to H C The top crush load may be approximately 50% to 95% of the top surface 34, but preferably this is only in localized areas where direct transfer of the top crush load between the top surface 34 and the bottom surface 32 is not required.

[0065] It is also contemplated that one or more of these vertical structures 50 (e.g. Figures 11 to 13 ) is part of the protrusion structure 70, and more specifically part of the outer vertical side wall 76 of the protrusion 70 and at the center 78 of the protrusion 70. This can help transfer the top crush load to the vehicle reinforcement inner panel 84 and the vehicle reinforcement outer panel 86.

[0066] Protrusion structure 70

[0067] It is contemplated that the raised structure 70 is used to help transfer the roof crush load from the main body portion 44 of the carrier to the vehicle reinforcement inner panel 84 and the vehicle reinforcement outer panel 86 (which are located outside the cavity 10). The structure basically includes a box-like structure with raised vertical side walls 76 and an outer wall 72 (and possibly one or more horizontal walls). The outer wall 72 can be flat or can have a stepped feature, and can also have outwardly projecting ribs 79, which can help guide the expansion of the first adhesive 80. It is contemplated that the structure 70 cantilevers out generally horizontally from the main body portion 44 and extends horizontally no more than about 90% or less of the horizontal depth 46 of the main body portion 44; preferably no more than about 70% of the depth 46, more preferably no more than about 60%, and most preferably no more than about 50% of the depth 46. It can cantilever at least 10% or more of the depth 46, preferably at least about 20% or more, and most preferably about 35% or more. As already discussed, the outer side walls 76 of the structure 70 are preferably coextensive with the corresponding vertical reinforcement structure 50 (e.g., see Fig.13 ), and having at least one center wall 78 (also coextensive) disposed between the side walls 76. It is contemplated that a series (2 or more) of "center walls 78" may be disposed between the outer side walls 76. In a preferred embodiment, the distance between the respective walls 76 / 78 is no more than about 2 cm, more preferably no more than about 4 cm, and most preferably no more than about 6 cm. The distance may be about 12 cm or less, more preferably about 10 cm or less, and most preferably about 7 cm or less. It is contemplated that there is a minimum radius R where the walls 76 / 78 of the structure transition to the respective vertical reinforcement structures 50 of the main body portion 44. M This minimum radius is preferred so that the so-called stress risers will not occur. MIt is preferably about 0.1 mm or more, more preferably about 0.5 mm or more, and most preferably about 1.0 mm or more. M It is preferably about 4.0 mm or less, more preferably about 2.0 mm or less, and more preferably about 1.5 mm or less.

[0068] Adhesive 80 / 90 / 100

[0069] It is contemplated that in a preferred exemplary embodiment, both the first adhesive and the second adhesive are expandable epoxy-based structural adhesives (such as L&L's L5905 adhesive) as described earlier in this specification, and the third adhesive is an expandable sealing adhesive (such as L&L's L2806 adhesive). Preferably, the first adhesive has an unexpanded thickness of about 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm, more preferably about 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm thick, and most preferably about 2.5 mm to 3.0 mm. It is also noteworthy that the gap (or set distance 82) between the unexpanded first adhesive 80 and the vehicle reinforcement outer panel is about 1.0 mm to 4.0 mm, more preferably about 2.0 mm to 3.5 mm, and most preferably about 2.5 mm to 3.0 mm. Under ideal conditions, the total thickness of the expanded first adhesive filling the gap 82 is about 5.5 mm plus / minus about 10% to 50%, more preferably about plus / minus 5% to 30%, and most preferably about 1% to 20%. It is also preferred that the second adhesive 90 has an unexpanded thickness of about 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm, more preferably about 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm thick, and most preferably about 2.5 mm to 3.0 mm. It is also worth noting that the general gap between the unexpanded second adhesive 90 and the adjacent wall of the cavity 10 is about 0.5 mm to 10.0 mm, more preferably about 1.0 mm to 5.5 mm, and most preferably about 1.5 mm to 4.0 mm. Under ideal conditions, the total thickness of the expanded second adhesive filling the space is about 6.5 mm plus / minus about 10% to 50%, more preferably about plus / minus 5% to 30%, and most preferably about 1% to 20%. It is contemplated that the third adhesive 100 can expand a greater amount than the first adhesive or the second adhesive and act as a sealant to prevent liquid and dust from entering the cavity 10 from above the reinforcement 20.

[0070] Turning now to the drawings, further details of the preferred exemplary embodiments are provided. Figure 1 The carrier 30 is shown in situ within the vehicle cavity 10 (shown in phantom, adhesive not shown), and the load direction / path 110 for the roof crush test / event is shown. Figure 2An exploded view of a structural reinforcement (eg, carrier 20 with adhesives 100 and 90 shown) and body panels 14 and 16 having aperture 12 and reinforcing inner and outer panels 84 and 86 is shown. Figure 3 Shown with Figure 1 1. A view of the opposite side is shown, and in which the protrusion structure 70 of the reinforcement member 20 can be seen protruding through the hole 12. In addition, two of the plurality of snap features 74 can also be seen. Figure 4 The vehicle is shown from the opposite side. Figure 2 Same exploded view. Figure 5 yes Figure 3 , showing a set distance / gap 82 between the reinforcing outer panel 86 and the first adhesive 80. Figure 6 2 is a perspective view of the structural reinforcement 20 from the exterior of the vehicle. The figure identifies at least the bottom wall 40, the surrounding portion 42, the raised vertical sidewall 76, two or more of the snap features 74, the top carrier surface 34, and the bottom carrier surface 32. Figure 7 and Figure 8 are two perspective views of the structural reinforcement 20 as viewed from the interior of the vehicle. These figures identify the various reinforcement structures 50 / 60 (ribs in this case), the locations of adhesives 90 and 100, the carrier top surface 34 and a portion 36 of the carrier bottom. Fig. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the reinforcement member 20 with additional labeling of the rib 50 and the center 78 of the protrusion 70 .

[0071] The reinforcement structure can be formed by a combination of a molding step and an extrusion step. The base reinforcement structure can be formed by an injection molding step. The adhesive material can be applied to the base reinforcement structure by a second molding process (e.g., a double shot molding process), thereby injection molding the adhesive material onto the base reinforcement structure. The sealant material can then be extruded onto the base reinforcement structure. The extrusion process can be completed by a conventional twin-screw extruder, or can be extruded by a robotic extrusion system (including a micro-applicator (e.g., a micro-extruder) attached to a robotic arm). Therefore, the base reinforcement structure can be removed from the molding device (such removal can be automatic) and moved online to a position where the sealant material is extruded onto a portion of the base reinforcement structure.

[0072] It is also contemplated that methods of manufacture are within the scope of the present invention. It is contemplated that a method of manufacturing the above-mentioned reinforcement part (structural reinforcement 20) to disperse loads caused by roof crush load conditions in a motor vehicle structure includes the following steps: performing computer modeling to simulate load conditions on a vehicle structure having a roof and a rocker, these load conditions being caused by loads applied to the roof from outside the roof in a direction toward the rocker; based on the results of the computer modeling of step (a), designing a part including a carrier having a laterally protruding shear load transfer portion and having an activatable material at a free end so that it can be activated and bonded to a laterally locating structure of the vehicle and thereby laterally transfer at least a portion of the load so that the load is carried in a shear mode by the adhesive bonding structure; and manufacturing the part designed by step (b), wherein the part includes a carrier 30, the carrier 30 including a molded and / or pultruded structure. A molded polymer portion, preferably comprising a fiber reinforced polymer matrix, and an activatable adhesive material (e.g., a first adhesive 80) that is capable of being activated to form a structural foam located on at least one free end of a laterally protruding shear load transfer portion; and wherein said at least a portion of the free end includes an outwardly protruding rib that guides the expansion direction of the activatable material during foaming; wherein the activatable material is applied to the free end and an adjacent surface that is not coplanar with the free end in a continuous manner; wherein the shear load transfer portion of the carrier is adjacent to the base portion of the carrier in an area including an arched surface or edge; wherein the shear load transfer portion of the carrier includes a stepped free end surface; and / or wherein the shear load transfer portion of the carrier includes a vertically oriented rib that is located behind the free end at approximately the midpoint of the free end.

[0073] General Teachings Applicable to All Embodiments

[0074] Unless otherwise stated, the size and geometry of the various structures depicted herein are not intended to limit the present invention, and other sizes or geometries are also possible. Multiple structural components can be provided by a single integrated structure. Alternatively, a single integrated structure can be divided into separate multiple components. In addition, although the features of the present invention may only be described in the context of one of the illustrated embodiments, for any given application, such features can be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments. It can also be understood from the above that the manufacture of the unique structure herein and its operation also constitute a method according to the present invention.

[0075] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that certain modifications would come within the teachings of this invention. Therefore, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.

[0076] The explanations and descriptions given herein are intended to familiarize other persons skilled in the art with the present invention, its principles and its practical applications. Those skilled in the art may adjust and apply the present invention in its various forms (such as may be most suitable for the requirements of a particular use). Therefore, the specific embodiments of the present invention described are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be determined with reference to the above description, but should be determined with reference to the full scope of the attached claims and the equivalents of such claims. The disclosures of all articles and references (including patent applications and publications) are incorporated herein by reference as a whole for all purposes. Other combinations such as will be collected from the following claims are also possible, and the claims are also incorporated by reference in this written description.

[0077] The adhesive in the present teachings may mean any activatable material described. It may be a material that is activated to form a structural foam, to form a sealant, to form an acoustic foam, or any combination thereof. Thus, the adhesive (when cured or otherwise hardened) may have a relatively high compression and / or tensile modulus (e.g., greater than about 100 MPa). The adhesive may have a relatively low compression and / or tensile modulus (e.g., less than about 10 MPa). The adhesive may be applied to the carrier by one or any combination of overmolding, multiple material injection molding (e.g., two or three material injection molding); pumping through an injection hole (e.g., an opening in a mold and / or structure, in which a reinforcement without an adhesive is positioned). The adhesive may be applied by extrusion; by pultrusion; by fastening a mass (e.g., a mass that has been extruded and then die-cut). The carrier structure may have one or more portions (whether spaces separated by an intermediate structure, spaces that are directly adjacent (possibly even sharing a common wall), or both). One or more of these portions may be cellular in nature, because the wall structure defines a discrete hollow cavity. In an xyz Cartesian system, where a plane can be defined along each of the xyz axes, in at least one of such planes, one or more of the one or more cells (e.g., a majority, more than two-thirds, more than three-quarters, or more) can be completely open and / or partially blocked by a structure that is or becomes part of the carrier or integral part. The part can have one or more average total perimeters in each xyz direction along the length of the part. Two or more different adhesives can be used on the carrier or as part of the carrier. They can each differ in one or more processing properties, physical properties, and / or mechanical properties. Examples of such differences can include activation temperature for curing and / or expansion, expansion capacity (if the material is expandable); degree of crosslinking (if any); compression modulus; sound transmission. The adhesive and / or any wall that is part of the carrier can have one or more average thicknesses on the part. If there is more than one average thickness, the average difference in thickness can range from about 1.1:1 to about 20:1, more preferably from about 1.3:1 to about 10:1; and more preferably from about 1.5:1 to about 4:1. The average thickness is determined by taking at least 20 different measurements along each of the xyz axes of the part and averaging them after discarding the highest and lowest measurements. The wall thickness of any portion of the carrier may vary along any of the xyz axes. The variation may be continuous, incremental, or both. It is expected that the molded parts herein have some minimum draft angle and / or dimensional tolerances. Therefore, a value designated "substantially" should be included within 10% of the value, or may also be limited to within 5% of the value.

[0078] The parts herein can be designed using computer-aided design (e.g., using finite element analysis modeling). Such computational techniques can be employed in the step of designing the parts, wherein the modeling is to simulate the conditions that the parts may be subjected to in use. Based on how the parts respond to the simulated loads applied via the simulated conditions, the part design can be reconfigured. The results of the computer modeling can be used to design one or more of the carrier wall thickness, carrier unit size, carrier size, adhesive position, adhesive thickness, carrier fastening device position, or any combination thereof.

[0079] Any use of the term "hardened" is not intended to be limited to thermosetting materials. While it refers to the state resulting from post-curing of a thermosetting adhesive, it may also refer to the state resulting when an adhesive containing a thermoplastic polymer is below the melting point or glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic polymer. In both cases, a special consideration for "hardening" is that the material behaves rigidly like a solid and is significantly more resistant to flow than the material in a liquid state.

[0080] The disclosures of all articles and references, including patent applications and publications, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. The term "consisting essentially of" describing a combination shall include the identified elements, ingredients, parts, or steps, as well as such other elements, ingredients, parts, or steps that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the combination. The use of the terms "comprising" or "including" to describe a combination of elements, ingredients, parts, or steps herein also contemplates embodiments consisting of or consisting essentially of the elements, ingredients, parts, or steps.

[0081] Multiple elements, ingredients, parts or steps can be provided by a single integrated element, ingredient, part or step. Alternatively, a single integrated element, ingredient, part or step can be divided into separate multiple elements, ingredients, parts or steps. The disclosure of "one" or "an" for describing an element, ingredient, part or step is not intended to exclude additional elements, ingredients, parts or steps.

[0082] It should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. In addition to the examples provided, many embodiments and many applications will be apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the above description. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be determined with reference to the above description, but with reference to the appended claims and the full scope of equivalents to such claims. The omission of any aspect of the subject matter disclosed herein in the appended claims is not a waiver of such subject matter, nor should it be considered that the inventor does not consider such subject matter to be part of the disclosed inventive subject matter.

[0083] element

[0084] 10 Transportation Cavity

[0085] 12 Openings in the walls of vehicle interior panels

[0086] 14 Transportation Outer Panels

[0087] 16Inner panels of vehicles

[0088] 20 Structural reinforcement

[0089] 30 carriers

[0090] 32 Bottom carrier surface

[0091] 34 Top carrier surface

[0092] 36 A portion of the bottom surface of the carrier

[0093] 38 Carrier top part

[0094] 40 bottom wall

[0095] 42 Surrounding part

[0096] 44 Main part

[0097] 46 horizontal depth

[0098] More than 50 continuous vertical reinforcement structures

[0099] More than 60 levels of reinforcement structure

[0100] 70 protrusion structure

[0101] 72 vertical protrusion outer wall (free end)

[0102] 74 multiple snap features

[0103] 76 protruding vertical side wall

[0104] 78 protrusion center / center wall

[0105] 79 outward protruding ribs

[0106] 80 First Adhesive

[0107] 82 Set distance

[0108] 84 Transportation vehicle reinforcement inner plate

[0109] 86 Transportation vehicle reinforcement plate

[0110] 90 Second Adhesive

[0111] 100 Third Adhesive

[0112] 102 sealant or other adhesive

[0113] 110 Top extrusion event (load path direction / shear vector / Z axis)

[0114] NS stimulation

[0115] H C Height between elements 32 and 34

[0116] R M minimum radius

Claims

1. A structural reinforcement for a cavity of a vehicle, comprising: A carrier, the carrier comprising: a bottom wall and a plurality of continuous vertical reinforcing structures spanning from the bottom carrier surface to the top carrier surface and a plurality of horizontal reinforcing structures; a protrusion structure protruding from the bottom wall, the protrusion structure comprising a vertical protrusion outer wall and two protrusion vertical side walls, the vertical protrusion outer wall having a first adhesive disposed thereon, wherein the protrusion outer wall protrudes through an opening in a wall of the vehicle cavity; a second adhesive disposed on a peripheral portion of the carrier, the peripheral portion including a portion of a bottom surface of the carrier; Wherein when a force is applied in a shear vector, the first adhesive is in a shear state and the second adhesive disposed on a portion of the bottom surface is in a compression state.

2. A structural reinforcement according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the continuous vertical reinforcement structures include a plurality of ribs, the average thickness of the plurality of ribs along their length is about 3 mm to 5 mm and / or has an average thickness different from the average thickness of the plurality of vertically oriented ribs elsewhere in the reinforcement.

3. A structural reinforcement according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reinforcement is configured to provide improved shear resistance in response to top crush loads (compared to a vehicle that omits such a reinforcement), and preferably the force applied in the shear vector causes the carrier to be loaded nearly parallel to the vertical reinforcement structure and the first adhesive and nearly perpendicular to the second adhesive at the bottom surface of the carrier.

4. A structural reinforcement according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first adhesive and the second adhesive are of the same composition, preferably an expandable structural adhesive.

5. A structural reinforcement according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a third adhesive is disposed around the carrier around a carrier top portion and comprises a swellable sealant.

6. The structural reinforcement according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the plurality of horizontal reinforcement structures are a plurality of ribs having an average thickness at least 30% thinner than the plurality of ribs of the plurality of vertical reinforcement structures.

7. A structural reinforcement according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the protrusion structure includes a plurality of snap-fastening features that secure the carrier to the opening in the wall of the vehicle cavity and maintain a set distance of the first adhesive to the vehicle reinforcement panel.

8. A structural reinforcement according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the second adhesive is located on a surrounding portion of the carrier substantially surrounding the raised structure.

9. A structural reinforcement according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein one or more of the first, second and / or third adhesive materials are applied to the carrier before and / or after the structure is inserted into the vehicle cavity.

10. A structural reinforcement according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first adhesive material, the second adhesive, or both, expands when exposed to a stimulus, preferably heat.

11. The structural reinforcement of claim 5, wherein the expandable sealant expands when exposed to a stimulus, preferably heat.

12. A structural reinforcement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the two vertical side walls are coextensive with two of the plurality of continuous vertical reinforcement structures, and a central wall is disposed between the two vertical side walls and is also coextensive with its respective continuous vertical reinforcement structure.

13. The structural reinforcement member according to claim 1, further comprising: The protrusion outer wall includes two planar surfaces that are stepped apart from each other and additionally include one or more ridges.

14. The structural reinforcement of claim 13, wherein the continuous vertical reinforcement structure is a rib having a thickness of about 3 mm to 5 mm.

15. A structural reinforcement according to claim 13 or 14, wherein a top crush event subjects the carrier to a force applied with the second adhesive being applied approximately parallel to the vertical reinforcement structures and the first adhesive and approximately perpendicular to the second adhesive at the bottom surface of the carrier.

16. A structural reinforcement according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the first adhesive and the second adhesive are expandable structural adhesives of the same composition.

17. A structural reinforcement according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein a third adhesive is disposed around the carrier around a carrier top portion and comprises a swellable sealant.

18. A structural reinforcement according to any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the plurality of horizontal reinforcement structures are ribs that are at least 30% thinner than the ribs of the vertical reinforcement structures.

19. The structural reinforcement of any one of claims 13 to 18, wherein the protrusion structure includes a plurality of snap features that secure the carrier to the opening in the wall of the vehicle cavity and maintain a set distance of the first adhesive to the vehicle reinforcement panel.

20. A method of manufacturing a reinforcement part according to claim 1 for distributing loads caused by roof crush load conditions in a motor vehicle structure, the method comprising the steps of: a) performing computer modeling to simulate loading conditions on a vehicle structure, the vehicle having a roof and a rocker, the loading conditions being caused by a load applied to the roof in a direction toward the rocker from a load external to the roof; b) based on the results of the computer modeling of step (a), designing a part comprising a carrier having a laterally protruding shear load transfer portion and having an activatable material on an outer wall of the vertical protrusion, such that the activatable material can be activated and bonded to a laterally locating structure of the vehicle and thereby laterally transfer at least a portion of the load so that the load is carried in shear mode by the adhesive bond structure; as well as c) manufacturing the part designed by step (b), wherein the part comprises the carrier, the carrier comprising a molded and / or pultruded polymer part, preferably comprising a fiber reinforced polymer matrix, and an activatable adhesive material, the activatable adhesive material being capable of being activated to form a structural foam at least one vertically protruding outer wall of the transversely protruding shear load transferring portion; and wherein at least a portion of the vertically protruding outer wall comprises an outwardly protruding rib, the outwardly protruding rib directing the expansion direction of the activatable material during foaming; wherein the activatable material is applied in a continuous manner to the vertical protrusion outer wall and an adjacent surface that is not coplanar with the vertical protrusion outer wall; wherein the shear load transfer portion of the carrier abuts a base portion of the carrier in a region including an arcuate surface or edge; wherein the shear load transfer portion of the carrier comprises a stepped vertical protruding outer wall; and / or wherein the shear load transfer portion of the carrier comprises a vertically oriented rib, the vertically oriented rib being located behind the vertical protruding outer wall at approximately the midpoint of the free end.

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